Moving with Control

Yoga, without the arm balances and extreme twists, might look easy. It's slower-paced than HIIT, it doesn't require weights, and it's not as exhausting as running (or so you might think).

But moving from one pose to another with control requires you to engage your muscles, usually the core. And to do that for an hour is exhausting. It's absolutely not easy.

During the practice, I'd often feel my arms trembling when they're too tired to hold me up and keep the pose. I'd feel my legs close to giving up, especially when balancing on one foot, doing an eagle pose. Downward-facing dog, which is usually used as the resting pose, requires you to engage muscles too.

Yoga might look slow, but it's measured. It's controlled. Every movement deliberate, each muscle carefully targeted, each session designed to help you warm up for a peak pose, or gain more flexibility, or strengthen your core—whatever improvement you're looking for.

Yoga builds strength and improves flexibility and balance. It helps remove body pains—in the shoulders, lower back, hips. It's the reason I don't get a massage often. There's always a pose I can do to release tension.

It might look easy, but huge improvements are happening with every practice. Whether that's adding to the body (like muscle) or removing from the body (like body pains and mental chaos).

Fast doesn't always mean better.

So at any point, in whatever you're doing, when you feel your progress too slow, remember: fast isn't the only good choice. Sometimes, slow, measured, and deliberate is more effective. Choose to move with control.